20210620008279I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB40Z · Littleton, CO · June 20, 2021

Date: June 20, 2021 · 08:00 local
Place: Littleton, CO
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N2161T
Reported as: Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB40Z
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 7
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 6
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N2161TRegistered now · Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB40ZS/N 1191 · Built 2015 Airframe modelBalony Kubicek Spol Sro BB40Z Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On June 20 2021 at approximately 0800 N2161T, a balloon, experienced a hard landing after experiencing unforecasted high winds and downdrafts. Passengers experienced minor injuries.

PIC called fss at 0510AM for a standard briefing. Briefing recording and received and evaluated. No adverse conditions noted for flight. PIC released 3 "pibal" balls to assess wind conditions prior to liftoff. After liftoff the balloon was flying NE. The wind then shifted 180 degrees to 35 mph. The PIC briefed the passengers on hard landing procedures. He then proceeded to fast vent the balloon to land as soon as practical. 1st contact with the ground ejected 2 passengers which caused a rebound into the air since 400LBS of weight was just lost. 2nd and 3rd ground contact ended in 30 feet of dragging before the balloon stopped.

As the FAA filed it

ON JUNE 20 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 N2161T, A BALLOON, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AFTER EXPERIENCING UNFORECASTED HIGH WINDS AND DOWNDRAFTS. PASSENGERS EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES.

PIC CALLED FSS AT 0510AM FOR A STANDARD BRIEFING. BRIEFING RECORDING AND RECEIVED AND EVALUATED. NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS NOTED FOR FLIGHT. PIC RELEASED 3 "PIBAL" BALLS TO ASSESS WIND CONDITIONS PRIOR TO LIFTOFF. AFTER LIFTOFF THE BALLOON WAS FLYING NE. THE WIND THEN SHIFTED 180 DEGREES TO 35 MPH. THE PIC BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ON HARD LANDING PROCEDURES. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO FAST VENT THE BALLOON TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. 1ST CONTACT WITH THE GROUND EJECTED 2 PASSENGERS WHICH CAUSED A REBOUND INTO THE AIR SINCE 400LBS OF WEIGHT WAS JUST LOST. 2ND AND 3RD GROUND CONTACT ENDED IN 30 FEET OF DRAGGING BEFORE THE BALLOON STOPPED.